fun. rehearsed for 5 days at Paisley Park, Prince's home-studio, we were told, then played what vocalist Nate Reuss said was "the biggest hall we've ever played in our lives." That would be the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, MN, on Wednesday night, January 23, 2013.
And they were, well, fun.
And seeing them live, the paradox was resolved.
fun. opened the proceedings with "Out on the Town," which I happen to think is their best song, and "One Foot," both from the current LP Some Nights; "All the Pretty Girls," a great song from Aim and Ignite; and "Why Am I the One," also from Some Nights. This was all arena-pop at its very best. Simple, direct. You could hear and understand the vocals. You could sing along, easily, and the crowd sang along, loudly.
Then came the most perfect fun. song title, if not song: "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used to Be"! This is fun?
The show lagged a bit through the middle sections, frankly. Many of their songs are mid-tempo and slower, but more than that Reuss' voice started getting lost in the mix. At his best, at their best, they are a vocal band, the music is supportive, almost incidental. And he came through loud and clear in the early going. But these songs give Reuss a workout, and maybe his voice got tired. The vocal chord is a muscle, and muscles get tired from strenous use. Or maybe the band got a little louder as time went by.
But this is hair-splitting. In the end, fun. came back to its strongest material and closed strong with "All Alright," then "Some Nights" and "Stars" as an encore.
And don't get me wrong about the music. It was solid. Andrew Dost stepped forward and played some engaging piano leads, while Jack Antonoff did the same with some occasional Van Halen guitar. But the music was background, accompaniment, meant to show off the vocals, and that's what they do.
Multi-instrumentalist Emily Moore stood out on the occasional vocal duet and on saxophone on "One Foot," but mostly contributed guitar and keyboards. As you know, fun. likes the drums far forward in the mix; now and again on Some Nights it sounds like there's an army of drummers. Will Noon successfully played the whole damn army. Bassist Nate Harold, well, played bass. I can't ever remember actually noticing what he was doing.
fun. promises their fans fun music, a fun time. And they deliver with bright, cheery, upbeat, energetic music, and they delivered Wednesday night with a bright, cheery, upbeat, energetic show. Their fans, who filled the 5,000 seat auditorium to the rafters--and you can trust me on this, because I was in the rafters--seemed to have a good time. (Understatement alert.)
But, then there's their lyrics. There's enough angst there to stop a fan in his or her tracks. This feeling that they sing about, I've had it, and it ain't fun. "Why am I the one/Always packing up my stuff?" Why don't my relationships last? "There's nothing left inside of my chest/But it's all alright." That's alright? Whoa. "There's no one to keep me warm." I'm starting to see a pattern here.
But seeing them live, it came to me. "We Are Young," they sang. Of course they're uncertain. Of course they don't know what they want. They don't know whether they've done right, whether they're on the path to happiness, or not. They're young. But they're not gonna let it get them down. They're still gonna manage to have, well, fun. They're gonna be "all alright."
Wednesday night they were better than all right. They were terrific. I can easily imagine that many in the crowd, which probably averaged under 20 years of age and ranged down to 6 and 7 years of age, thought this was the best concert they'd ever seen. A fun. time.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Best Concerts of the 21st Century UPDATE October 2016
I vaguely remember seeing Zappa (about 5 times?), Springsteen, Steely Dan, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin. Those would be among the best concerts I've ever seen. But they were all 25 years ago or more. I may try to list the best concerts someday but it won't be easy.
Even the past 12 years is tough enough. But with memory at least a little fresher I'm going to give the best concerts of the 21st century a go. Most were seen in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, unless otherwise noted.
NOTE: Edited September 2016.
1. Leonard Cohen, Orpheum, 2009. I've written about this elsewhere (a post titled Songs of Love and Hate).
2. The Mavericks, Minnesota State Fair, Summer 2012; and Pantages Theatre, 2014. A great, great live show featuring Raul Malo's amazing vocals. But more than that, this is a crack band with a clever lead guitarist in Eddie Gomez and a great little (2-man) horn section.
3. Rufus Wainwright, Orpheum, 2008. Charismatic, with strong vocals and a piano that filled the auditorium as surely as a full band. Opened with "The Art Teacher." In other words, tossed off his best song as if it were but an hors d'oeuvre.
4. Zappa Plays Zappa, Orpheum, 2006. The video, though not shot in Minneapolis, documents what we saw, which was nothing less than spectacularly wonderful.
5. Dracula, Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet, 2000. This was on Halloween night with Glass and Kronos playing live accompaniment to the 1930s version of the film.
6. Rufus Wainwright, Minnesota Zoo, Summer 2012. Actually there's a separate review of this.
7. Iris DeMent, Cedar Cultural Center, 2013. On the heels of Sing the Delta, her 1st record of new material in 16 years, an older Iris. Didn't hit the high notes so hard, but still rips out every ounce of emotion from what are already very emotional songs. Still electrifying.
8. Blood on the Tracks, Orpheum, 2004. A bunch of Minneapolis session men (Billy Berg, Greg Inhofer, Jimmy Johnson, Cris Webber and others) played on Dylan's Blood on the Tracks without credit. Here they reunited with a variety of guest vocalists to recreate each song from that terrific record.
9. Sarah Borges, The Turf Club, 2007. We were among a dozen or so people to catch the show but Borges just totally ripped it up as if playing before tens of thousands. Fabulous.
10. Natalie MacMaster, Cambridge Center for the Performing Arts, 2005. Great fiddler, great entertainer, great show.
11. Auto Body Experience, here and there, 2007-2012. Since discovering this Twin Cities band in 2007, we have now seen them at least 8 times, maybe more. True originals.
12. Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, 2016. At Chicago's Millennium Park. There's a separate review of 2016 concerts.
13. The Mavericks, 2015. Pantages Theater, Minneapolis.
14. Marty Stuart, 2016. At the Minnesota State Fair.
15. Jeff Beck, Orpheum, 2009(?). I had forgotten about this one. It was great and also a little disappointing. He blew me away so totally with his set on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest, this wasn't quite that great. No Vinnie Colauita, no Tal Wilkenfeld, for 2 reasons. Still it was very much worth seeing. Hey, I saw Jeff Beck!
16. Vince Gill, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2016. I had forgotten how poppy his big hits were but since his singles run appears to be over, he's been more free to sing more traditional types of songs--both actual chestnuts and originals with that old-time, George Jones-type of feel. This had its high points, to be sure, but overall it was too much pop and not enough old-time country music.
17. Alison Krauss, O'Shaghnessy Auditorium, 2000. We've seen her maybe 3 times, this was just the most recent, and we expect to see her later in 2012. Great vocalist, of course, but what stands out even more is this incredible band of hers including the great Jerry Douglas.
18. Hem, Varsity Theater, 2006. Great songs, nice singer in Sally Elkyson, a little laid back.
19. Los Lobos, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. Los Lobos played too briefly and did not play anything from Will the Wolf Survive.
20. Tift Merritt, Fine Line, 2005. Great songwriter, excellent singer.
21. Mark Knopfler, Orpheum, 2001. Great great artist.
22. fun. Roy Wilkins Auditorium, January 2013, at their peak, a few weeks before their appearance on the Grammies. And they were fun.
23. Roger Waters, Xcel Energy Center, 2007. I dunno, a creature of another time.
24. New Standards Holiday Show, 2015.
25. Richard Thompson and Bonnie Raitt, 2016. At Ravinia Park near Chicago.
26. Bill Frisell, Cedar Cultural Center, 2000. Trio with Tony Scherer and Kenny Wolleson, I think.
27. Robben Ford, Mears Park, 2013. Great showman, great guitarist, surprisingly good vocals.
28. The Butanes, Shaw's Bar, Minneapolis, 2014. A local 4-piece band with a Hammond B3 and Leslie speaker. A great blues band who did Booker T's "Time Is Tight" better than Booker T did it a year-and-a-half later. Then they brought up the great Twin Cities vocalist Maurice Jacox who totally knocked "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" out of the park.
28. Aimee Mann. We've seen her twice and, frankly, she's not a great live performer. She seems uncomfortable on stage. But great voice, great songs, great career.
29. Alison Krauss with Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Biltmore, Asheville, NC, Summer 2012.
30. The Gourds, Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. Overshadowed the guy we went to see, James McMurtry. Great energetic show, very entertaining.
31. Polka Floyd, Octoberfest, downtown Toledo, OH, September 2013. Pink Floyd cover/tribute band with more schtick than you can shake a...well, never mind. They play 'em polka style. Very highly recommended.
32. Zappa Plays Zappa, First Avenue. Maybe 2009? Way funkier than the 2006 show.
33. The New Standards, Mears Park, Summer 2014; Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault, MN, winter 2015. A fiendishly original and clever band consisting of just acoustic piano, vibraphone and stand-up bass. Great covers of rock "standards."
34. Pat Donahue, The Fitzgerald Theater, 2007.
35. Benny Golson, Chicago, 2016. Legendary jazz saxophone.
36. Steve Earle, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. I love Steve Earle but it was 95 degrees and just not a great setting.
37. Blood on the Tracks, 2013 and 2015 (?). Local Twin Cities musicians paying tribute to Bob Dylan.
38. Booker T. and the MGs, 2016, Mears Park.
39. Michael Nesmith, Fitzgerald Theater, 2013. Not great, but solid. The guy has had more of a career than you think.
40. C.J. Chenier, Mears Park, St. Paul, 2013. OK, it was rainin' and it was freezin' cold. These guys would rate higher under better circumstances. But seriously, you could hear that there was something special goin' on.
41. James McMurtry, 400 Bar, 2008; Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. A little disappointing.
42. Wilco, Orpheum, 2002. Disappointing.
43. Buckwheat Zydeco, 2014, Minnesota State Fair. Totally disappointing.
44. Jolie Holland, Varsity Theater, 2007. Totally underwhelming compared to her great record, Springtime Can Kill You.
45. Halloween Alaska, 400 Bar, 2007. Very disappointing.
46. The Shins, Orpheum Theater, 2012. Very disappointing.
Even the past 12 years is tough enough. But with memory at least a little fresher I'm going to give the best concerts of the 21st century a go. Most were seen in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, unless otherwise noted.
NOTE: Edited September 2016.
1. Leonard Cohen, Orpheum, 2009. I've written about this elsewhere (a post titled Songs of Love and Hate).
2. The Mavericks, Minnesota State Fair, Summer 2012; and Pantages Theatre, 2014. A great, great live show featuring Raul Malo's amazing vocals. But more than that, this is a crack band with a clever lead guitarist in Eddie Gomez and a great little (2-man) horn section.
4. Zappa Plays Zappa, Orpheum, 2006. The video, though not shot in Minneapolis, documents what we saw, which was nothing less than spectacularly wonderful.
5. Dracula, Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet, 2000. This was on Halloween night with Glass and Kronos playing live accompaniment to the 1930s version of the film.
6. Rufus Wainwright, Minnesota Zoo, Summer 2012. Actually there's a separate review of this.
7. Iris DeMent, Cedar Cultural Center, 2013. On the heels of Sing the Delta, her 1st record of new material in 16 years, an older Iris. Didn't hit the high notes so hard, but still rips out every ounce of emotion from what are already very emotional songs. Still electrifying.
8. Blood on the Tracks, Orpheum, 2004. A bunch of Minneapolis session men (Billy Berg, Greg Inhofer, Jimmy Johnson, Cris Webber and others) played on Dylan's Blood on the Tracks without credit. Here they reunited with a variety of guest vocalists to recreate each song from that terrific record.
9. Sarah Borges, The Turf Club, 2007. We were among a dozen or so people to catch the show but Borges just totally ripped it up as if playing before tens of thousands. Fabulous.
10. Natalie MacMaster, Cambridge Center for the Performing Arts, 2005. Great fiddler, great entertainer, great show.
11. Auto Body Experience, here and there, 2007-2012. Since discovering this Twin Cities band in 2007, we have now seen them at least 8 times, maybe more. True originals.
12. Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, 2016. At Chicago's Millennium Park. There's a separate review of 2016 concerts.
13. The Mavericks, 2015. Pantages Theater, Minneapolis.
14. Marty Stuart, 2016. At the Minnesota State Fair.
15. Jeff Beck, Orpheum, 2009(?). I had forgotten about this one. It was great and also a little disappointing. He blew me away so totally with his set on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest, this wasn't quite that great. No Vinnie Colauita, no Tal Wilkenfeld, for 2 reasons. Still it was very much worth seeing. Hey, I saw Jeff Beck!
16. Vince Gill, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2016. I had forgotten how poppy his big hits were but since his singles run appears to be over, he's been more free to sing more traditional types of songs--both actual chestnuts and originals with that old-time, George Jones-type of feel. This had its high points, to be sure, but overall it was too much pop and not enough old-time country music.
17. Alison Krauss, O'Shaghnessy Auditorium, 2000. We've seen her maybe 3 times, this was just the most recent, and we expect to see her later in 2012. Great vocalist, of course, but what stands out even more is this incredible band of hers including the great Jerry Douglas.
18. Hem, Varsity Theater, 2006. Great songs, nice singer in Sally Elkyson, a little laid back.
19. Los Lobos, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. Los Lobos played too briefly and did not play anything from Will the Wolf Survive.
20. Tift Merritt, Fine Line, 2005. Great songwriter, excellent singer.
21. Mark Knopfler, Orpheum, 2001. Great great artist.
22. fun. Roy Wilkins Auditorium, January 2013, at their peak, a few weeks before their appearance on the Grammies. And they were fun.
23. Roger Waters, Xcel Energy Center, 2007. I dunno, a creature of another time.
25. Richard Thompson and Bonnie Raitt, 2016. At Ravinia Park near Chicago.
26. Bill Frisell, Cedar Cultural Center, 2000. Trio with Tony Scherer and Kenny Wolleson, I think.
28. The Butanes, Shaw's Bar, Minneapolis, 2014. A local 4-piece band with a Hammond B3 and Leslie speaker. A great blues band who did Booker T's "Time Is Tight" better than Booker T did it a year-and-a-half later. Then they brought up the great Twin Cities vocalist Maurice Jacox who totally knocked "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" out of the park.
28. Aimee Mann. We've seen her twice and, frankly, she's not a great live performer. She seems uncomfortable on stage. But great voice, great songs, great career.
29. Alison Krauss with Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Biltmore, Asheville, NC, Summer 2012.
30. The Gourds, Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. Overshadowed the guy we went to see, James McMurtry. Great energetic show, very entertaining.
31. Polka Floyd, Octoberfest, downtown Toledo, OH, September 2013. Pink Floyd cover/tribute band with more schtick than you can shake a...well, never mind. They play 'em polka style. Very highly recommended.
32. Zappa Plays Zappa, First Avenue. Maybe 2009? Way funkier than the 2006 show.
33. The New Standards, Mears Park, Summer 2014; Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault, MN, winter 2015. A fiendishly original and clever band consisting of just acoustic piano, vibraphone and stand-up bass. Great covers of rock "standards."
34. Pat Donahue, The Fitzgerald Theater, 2007.
35. Benny Golson, Chicago, 2016. Legendary jazz saxophone.
36. Steve Earle, Minnesota Zoo, 2012. I love Steve Earle but it was 95 degrees and just not a great setting.
37. Blood on the Tracks, 2013 and 2015 (?). Local Twin Cities musicians paying tribute to Bob Dylan.
38. Booker T. and the MGs, 2016, Mears Park.
39. Michael Nesmith, Fitzgerald Theater, 2013. Not great, but solid. The guy has had more of a career than you think.
40. C.J. Chenier, Mears Park, St. Paul, 2013. OK, it was rainin' and it was freezin' cold. These guys would rate higher under better circumstances. But seriously, you could hear that there was something special goin' on.
41. James McMurtry, 400 Bar, 2008; Cedar Cultural Center, 2012. A little disappointing.
42. Wilco, Orpheum, 2002. Disappointing.
43. Buckwheat Zydeco, 2014, Minnesota State Fair. Totally disappointing.
44. Jolie Holland, Varsity Theater, 2007. Totally underwhelming compared to her great record, Springtime Can Kill You.
45. Halloween Alaska, 400 Bar, 2007. Very disappointing.
46. The Shins, Orpheum Theater, 2012. Very disappointing.
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